The electric car manufacturer Tesla sees New York State as the epicenter of growth for the eastern part of the United States. They are driving some of their vehicles across the region this week to promote new state legislation that would allow them to expand.

The Department of Transportation released its revised guidelines on automated driving systems Tuesday, outlining its recommended — but not mandatory — best practices for companies developing self-driving cars.

There were 800 people registered for the Panasonic job fare Wednesday evening at the Buffalo Employment and Training Center - and more than that came to fill out forms and present resumes - as the company plans 150 hires by the end of August.

While appearing in Western New York to announce an investment using Buffalo Billion II dollars, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul was asked about the largest investment from the original Buffalo Billion and when the jobs and manufacturing will get underway in the city's RiverBend section.

Tesla's stock closed higher Tuesday after the company announced a deal with Panasonic to produce solar panels in Buffalo. The Japanese electronics giant is making a major investment in Tesla's giga-factory along South Park Avenue.

Between New York state spending $750 million dollars on a new solar panel factory in South Buffalo, SolarCity's financial struggles, and this week's expected shareholders vote on a proposed merger with Tesla, there has been a lot of speculation lately about Solar City's long term viability. But other local players in the industry are bullish on the future of solar regardless of what happens to the heavily subsidized company.

News that Tesla Motors may purchase Solar City is drawing mixed reactions. While some are concerned the development projects poorly on the future of the company's solar panel manufacturing plant in South Buffalo, Governor Cuomo says he "can't see anything but good" coming from the merger.